trisonic Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 May not be news to some but Aristocraft have closed down, rather suddenly. I've been wondering why TrainWorld had been selling stuff off cheap. Sounds like Aristocraft were killed by stock costs...they say that the bottom has dropped out of the Garden Railways sector in the 'States. Β Bad news whether you care or not. The Polk family started off with a three floor store on 5th Avenue. Β Best, Pete. Β Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointstaken Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 The spare parts PDFs are still on line. So if you want 'em folks, then you had better move quickly. Β Dennis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Are the spares actually available... I could use a bunch of 100t Barber trucks... Β Saddened but not surprised to hear of their demise, chill winds continue to blow... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2013 Aristo doesn't actually shut down until December, they are avoiding goingΒ bankrupt and shutting down in a controlled way according to GSC and LSOL forums,Β and yes they are shipping parts if you contact them direct. Sadly the economy hit them hard and until 2008 they were growing but then saw the market nose dive, they survived it for nearlyΒ 5 years but spare cash finally ran out to subsidise it. At least they tried to ride it out and unfortunately a load of jobs will go too. There are already rumours of who might pick up the range. The lack of new models that appealed to their biggest group of customers still with cash probably didn't help. The PCC trolley was a great model to have but was it going to sell in big numbers to customers with mainline stock? I think they got caught out with the wrong model hitting the market afterΒ the economyΒ dived. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 The British Class 66 probably didn't help either......four different liveries? Β Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2013 I think I know Aristo's man in the UK - we share a forename. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted October 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2013 Old....? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 29, 2013 Author Share Posted October 29, 2013 Must be that guy "Old Bu@@er!" Β Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 29, 2013 I think I know Aristo's man in the UK - we share a forename.Are you thinking of Accucraft, (rather than Aristocraft), and Ian Pearse?Β Confusing as they both make 1:29th USA stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 ThatsΒ aΒ shame,Β I haveΒ boughtΒ Β lotsΒ ofΒ AristocraftΒ overΒ theΒ yearsΒ forΒ theΒ gardenΒ Line,, NiceΒ BigΒ USΒ Diesels!! Β It isΒ notΒ surprisingΒ thoughΒ thatΒ theyΒ haveΒ run into difficulties,Β I geuass folksΒ justΒ Β dontΒ haveΒ enough 'spareΒ cash'Β toΒ fork outΒ forΒ $500Β Locos,Β notΒ onlyΒ thatΒ hjereΒ in theΒ UKΒ theΒ changingΒ weatherΒ patternΒ haveΒ madeΒ GardenΒ railwayingΒ aΒ lotΒ moreΒ 'uncomfortable'Β than itΒ wasΒ 30 oddΒ yearsΒ ago. Β A UK retailer toldΒ meΒ thatΒ heΒ usedΒ toΒ sel atΒ leastΒ 2Β Β G scaleΒ locosΒ every weekΒ up to aroundΒ 3Β yearsΒ ago,Β theseΒ daysΒ heΒ can go weeksΒ withoutΒ sellingΒ aΒ singleΒ g scaleΒ ITEMΒ LuckilyΒ heΒ hasΒ aΒ Β goodΒ rangeΒ of theΒ smallerΒ scales,Β bothΒ UK, & overseas! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 All a bit ironic considering sales of Peco track in the Garden Railway scales have never been stronger, and membership of the 16mmNGM has grown steadily. The market has also managed to absorb some quite hearty price increases over the few years since I have modelled in this scale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 I think that the drop off is in the USA market which is way, way bigger than the UK and has more effect on any manufacturer. Β Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 All a bit ironic considering sales of Peco track in the Garden Railway scales have never been stronger, and membership of the 16mmNGM has grown steadily. The market has also managed to absorb some quite hearty price increases over the few years since I have modelled in this scale. IΒ Β usedΒ toΒ useΒ PecoΒ Track on my garden linesΒ ( SM-32Β & G1)Β Β in theΒ 80sΒ butΒ IΒ foundΒ itΒ did notΒ standΒ theΒ test ofΒ time,Β PointΒ switch bladesΒ Β regularlyΒ partingΒ from the tieΒ barΒ andΒ sleepersΒ becomingΒ brittle andΒ cracking.,Β may beΒ itsΒ betterΒ these daysΒ and theΒ increasedΒ salesΒ areΒ dueΒ toΒ lineΒ refurbishments Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 31, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2013 Are you thinking of Accucraft, (rather than Aristocraft), and Ian Pearse? Β Confusing as they both make 1:29th USA stuff Yes, I was! Relief! I shan't have to be so careful in my Xmas card! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 31, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2013 Ian and Accucraft appear to be in rude health as they are constantly increasing the range. I fear his astute ways were the reason for dropping the 1:29 - later proposed 1:32 uk diesels. Had a few Aristocraft diesels over the years and if I had lots of space would have kept them. Concentrated on the smaller G scale which probably rings tyre for many potential Aristo customers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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